Fabrication of Hedgerow Cutters for Sherman tanks at Saint-Jean-de-Daye in July 1944

In the summer of 1944 during the Battle of Normandy, Allied forces had become bogged down fighting the Germans in the Normandy bocage. This landscape of thick, banked dirt and rock walls covered with trees and hedges proved difficult for tanks to breach. In an effort to restore battlefield mobility, various devices were invented to allow tanks to navigate the terrain.
Initially the devices were manufactured near the fighting itself as seen in this footage, Saint-Jean-de-Daye having been liberated on July 7th less than three weeks before it was filmed. They were made largely from German steel-beam beach defensive devices on an ad hoc basis. Manufacture was then shifted to the United Kingdom, and vehicles were modified before being shipped to France.
The actual practical effectiveness of such devices and the extent to which they actually improved mobility in the theater is debated, but they did serve as a morale booster much like the sandbag "armor" visible on one of the Shermans at 0:32.
At 1:31 Major General Leroy H. Watson, then commander of the 3rd Armored Division, can be seen inspecting the devices. Unhappy with the division's progress in Normandy, a few days after this clip was captured VII Corps commander Joseph Lawton Collins decided to relieve Watson of command. Collins’ superior, Omar Bradley, a West Point classmate of Watson's, initially disagreed with Collins, but ultimately went with his decision and Watson was replaced by Maurice Rose.
When Watson was relieved of command, he requested to remain in the area of combat operations in France at any rank rather than return to the United States in a training or administrative role with a general's rank. Impressed by Watson's request, Bradley informed his superior Dwight Eisenhower (another of Watson's West Point classmates) at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), and they agreed to retain Watson in France. He was reduced in rank to colonel and assigned to Bradley's staff at Twelfth United States Army Group Headquarters.
On August 14th Norman Cota, the assistant division commander of the 29th Infantry Division, was promoted to major general and assigned to command the 28th Infantry Division. After considering possible replacements for Cota, Bradley and Eisenhower decided on Watson. The 29th Division fell under XIX Corps, not VII Corps, which meant the 29th's leaders would not report to Collins, a circumstance that likely factored into Bradley and Eisenhower's decision. Watson served with the 29th Division during combat in France and Germany throughout the rest of 1944 and early 1945. In December 1944, he was promoted to brigadier general and in August 1945, Watson was appointed to command of the 79th Infantry Division, which he led during post-war occupation duty in Germany until it was deactivated in December that same year.

[@gerhard6105]

As a Dutch in ww2 interested, former welder and later a NDT/weld inspector, this is a very interesting video. Regards from the Belgium Battle of the Bulge area.

[@CafeLibrado]

once again, excellent history lesson in bite-sized form with impressive visuals from the footage and a great written addendum

[@mirrorblue100]

American ingenuity. And look how much thinner people were in the 1940s.

[@mariodelgado9729]

And no purple hair either!

[@robertspence831]

Combat probably burns a lot of calories.

[@mirrorblue100]

@@robertspence831 I'm sure thats true - but look at the civilians as well - I think we just live in a chunkier age.

[@para1324]

A troop from Georgia USA came up with this idea. He said we can use Rommels steel beach obstacles to fabricate them. He was awarded a medal for his idea. 🫡🇺🇸

[@Oligodendrocyte139]

With the 80th anniversary coming , there are new Normandy documentaries popping up on TV. One just last night had a discussion of the problem of the bocage, and similar footage of these adaptations being made and used. 👍

[@mrpapafakis1290]

Thanks for the informative description of Watson's career regression/progress too.

[@hw97karbine]

In the summer of 1944 during the Battle of Normandy, Allied forces had become bogged down fighting the Germans in the Normandy bocage. This landscape of thick, banked dirt and rock walls covered with trees and hedges proved difficult for tanks to breach. In an effort to restore battlefield mobility, various devices were invented to allow tanks to navigate the terrain. Initially the devices were manufactured near the fighting itself as seen in this footage, Saint-Jean-de-Daye having been liberated on July 7th less than three weeks before it was filmed. They were made largely from German steel-beam beach defensive devices on an ad hoc basis. Manufacture was then shifted to the United Kingdom, and vehicles were modified before being shipped to France. The actual practical effectiveness of such devices and the extent to which they actually improved mobility in the theater is debated, but they did serve as a morale booster much like the sandbag "armor" visible on one of the Shermans at 0:32. At 1:31 Major General Leroy H. Watson, then commander of the 3rd Armored Division, can be seen inspecting the devices. Unhappy with the division's progress in Normandy, a few days after this clip was captured VII Corps commander Joseph Lawton Collins decided to relieve Watson of command. Collins’ superior, Omar Bradley, a West Point classmate of Watson's, initially disagreed with Collins, but ultimately went with his decision and Watson was replaced by Maurice Rose. When Watson was relieved of command, he requested to remain in the area of combat operations in France at any rank rather than return to the United States in a training or administrative role with a general's rank. Impressed by Watson's request, Bradley informed his superior Dwight Eisenhower (another of Watson's West Point classmates) at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), and they agreed to retain Watson in France. He was reduced in rank to colonel and assigned to Bradley's staff at Twelfth United States Army Group Headquarters. On August 14th Norman Cota, the assistant division commander of the 29th Infantry Division, was promoted to major general and assigned to command the 28th Infantry Division. After considering possible replacements for Cota, Bradley and Eisenhower decided on Watson. The 29th Division fell under XIX Corps, not VII Corps, which meant the 29th's leaders would not report to Collins, a circumstance that likely factored into Bradley and Eisenhower's decision. Watson served with the 29th Division during combat in France and Germany throughout the rest of 1944 and early 1945. In December 1944, he was promoted to brigadier general and in August 1945, Watson was appointed to command of the 79th Infantry Division, which he led during post-war occupation duty in Germany until it was deactivated in December that same year.

[@kiereluurs1243]

Don't repeat the description.

[@capthawkeye8010]

Americans can be remarkable for their superstitions about things they have no control over.

[@bwilliams463]

Does your channel have audio? No matter what I do I can't hear anything.

[@kiereluurs1243]

Reminds of the Ruzi 'cope cages' and 'sheds' in Ukraine. I hadn't seen this improvisations in WW2 yet.

[@bwilliams463]

Conceived and created by Sgt Curtis Culin, who received the Order of Merit.

[@SpenzOT]

Made with the finest steel the allies could harvest from the beaches.

[@capthawkeye8010]

Much of which came from the Czechs and their Sudetenland Border defenses.

[@Simo01939]

Nice footage

[@kiereluurs1243]

(Psst. He didn't make it himself.)

[@mariodelgado9729]

The human cost of any war is so terrible, a lot of these young men in this film would be casualties and or KIA of the hedge fighting in the next few weeks. Great content!

[@iridian]

1:10 dude has a custom welding mask with pointed ears and horns?

[@XR_Martin]

I suspect the welds wouldn't be that great and the attachment most probably broke off at the first decent impact. Its not easy welding cast steel, especially something so large - alot of preheating is required. Thank for another great video.

[@beanhavok2287]

I wonder who the Two Star was??? Anybody know?

[@hw97karbine]

check the video description

[@beanhavok2287]

@@hw97karbine ugh, read? 😂

[@JohnSmith-ei2pz]

McD's server

[@gordonhall9871]

not a good idea to be out with those 2 stars flashing